


The Scent of a Woman

by RachelIsWriting



Category: Phandom/The Fantastic Foursome (YouTube RPF)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Christmas Fluff, M/M, Meet-Cute
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-25
Updated: 2019-12-25
Packaged: 2021-02-25 23:29:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,551
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21953701
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RachelIsWriting/pseuds/RachelIsWriting
Summary: Christmas meet cute where Dan works at a fragrance counter
Relationships: Dan Howell & Phil Lester, Dan Howell/Phil Lester
Comments: 15
Kudos: 46





	The Scent of a Woman

**Author's Note:**

> Merry Christmas/ Happy Holidays to everyone that celebrates and Happy 25th of December to those that don’t.
> 
> Beta read by Jane (@ jestbee) who is utterly wonderful and I owe her a world of thanks ily #1
> 
> Merry Christmas Moon Face I love you a lot bub 🖤❤️

Dan really hadn’t meant to stay in this job for as long as he had. It only started as a favour for his best friend as they were desperate for staff, and well he was desperate for cash, so he said yes. That was 4 Christmases ago and he’s still here, stood behind the till of a department store fragrance counter.

His best friend had quit that same Christmas because working in retail was not a fun job at the best of times, but adding on the stress that hits when December rolls around was not easy. 

Dan loved it though, the rush of adrenaline that kicks in when the shop gets busy, the buzz that rolls throughout the store, and of course the bonuses he gets from selling expensive fragrance to desperate customers.

He did well in this job because he was charming. He used his looks to flirt with the women who came to the counter to buy for friends and family, and his good humour to sweet talk the guys who were purchasing last minute gifts for their other halves. 

It was the 21st December and the last Saturday before Christmas, which meant the store was packed with customers looking to purchase last minute gifts. Dan was super busy ringing up multiple purchases and dealing with impatient customers who didn’t realise a fragrance counter would be so popular at this time of year.

Dan barely had time to register anyone’s faces as he served customer after customer, they all seemed to blur into one until suddenly he was looking into ice blue eyes and everything was pulled into sharp focus. 

The man stood in front of him was probably the most beautiful man he’d ever seen in real life, thick black rimmed glasses and glossy brown hair pushed back in a quiff. Dan’s eyes drifted down to where the guy was biting on his lip looking decidedly unsure of himself.

“Good afternoon Sir how can I help you?” Dan asked, putting on his best customer service voice.

“Um, I need some perfume”

“Well Sir, you are in the right place,” Dan said, choking back a small laugh.

“Please don’t call me sir, I’m probably the same age as you!” Said the customer as his cheeks flushed slightly.

“Ok then, any ideas what kind of perfume you would like today?” He stopped as the customer looked at his name badge. 

“Well Dan, I haven’t the foggiest. I’m useless at gifts so I thought perfume was the easy option and now I’m stood here and I’m totally going to fail in my quest. I’m Phil by the way” 

Dan was used to men who hadn’t got a clue when it came to buying perfume, that’s why he was so good at what he did.

“So you are buying this perfume for a woman I’m assuming?” Dan enquired with a slight head tilt looking into Phils eyes as he did so. 

“Yes, we are going away for Christmas so I wanted to surprise her with this on Christmas morning. She always tells me she doesn’t want presents but I want to treat her, she deserves it.” 

He had such a look of love on his face, and Dan felt suddenly saddened by this, like he’d missed out on some sort of future with this guy. He shook his head slightly as a way of admonishing himself for looking too deep into something with someone he literally just met.

Someone who is obviously buying perfume for his girlfriend, who he loves very much if the warm smile on his face is anything to go by.

“Ok Phil, do you know what kind of perfume she wears already? Did you look at her dressing table to see what was already there?”

“Oh,” Phil's face dropped. “No, I should have done that shouldn’t I? That would have made this easier.” He swung his backpack off his shoulder and placed it on the counter in front of him, the pins on the front of it making a loud clatter where they hit the glass.

“It’s ok, that’s what I’m here for, can you tell me what she smells like, is it fruity? Or flowery?”

Phils face softened, “She smells like warm, and home, and love.” 

“Wow, ok,” said Dan, his heart twinging again. How he would love to have someone describe him like that. “You just really love this woman.”

“Well of course I do,” Phil replied, blushing profusely. "She’s the only woman for me, so do you think you can help me Danny boy?” 

“I’ll accept this challenge then Phil, even on that terribly vague description, and join you on your quest."

“Does that make you the Pikachu to my Ash?” Phil asked, smirking slightly.

Dan looked shocked, “Do I look like a Pikachu to you?”

“I mean an incredibly tall Pikachu, but yeah, you are cute enough I suppose. Plus, I think I’d look better in a baseball cap than you.” Phil laughed.

Dan tried to let the cute comment slide by, but he still felt his cheeks redden by the sudden compliment. He told himself to snap out of it as Phil was buying a gift for his girlfriend, but looking at Phil's face as he stuck his tongue between his teeth as he giggled meant it was basically impossible to do.

“Right, Ash Ketchum, give me some more clues about this woman." 

“Well she loves to bake, and she loves being outside in the fresh air.”

“Hmmm, so maybe something sweet and fresh then?” Dan replied, reaching out to a perfume off the top shelf and spraying some onto a sample card. He held it out for Phil to take.

Phil inhaled deeply, then coughed as he took the scent in.

“You aren’t supposed to snort it like that Phil! Just take a small sniff next time!” Dan laughed quietly as Phil's nose rumpled up tight to stop from sneezing.

“Too strong, she’s subtle, that was like being smacked in the face with a bunch of roses!”

“Ok, tester number 2 coming up." Dan found a bottle of his current favourite and held another tester out for Phil to smell.

This time Phil sniffed it slightly, before inhaling a bit deeper. “Oh yes that’s the one, I like it, it smells fizzy”

“Fizzy!” Dan replied looking incredulous.

“Yes fizzy Danny, that’s what it smells like to me.”

Phil held the tester out for Dan to smell and Dan leant forward and looked up at Phil through his eyelashes as he took a smell of it. 

Phil didn’t break eye contact with Dan the entire time, just smiled softly at him.

“Ok, you win Phil, it does smell fizzy”

Phil just laughed in reply. Dan thought he was about to drown in Phils eyes.

“Ring me up then, break it to me gently though because I know you’ve probably tried to get me to buy the most expensive perfume.”

Phil's eyes made a strange movement and Dan laughed incredulously.

“What the bloody hell was that, Phil!”

“What was what?” Phil replied.

“That.” Dan tried to replicate what Phil had just done. “Oh for fucks sake, were you trying to wink at me?” 

“Daniel! You aren’t supposed to swear at the customers,” Phil admonished, but laughing loudly as he did so. 

Dan joined in on his laughter, attracting a few stares from other customers and staff dotted around the counter. 

“Anyway, Phil, just crack out the credit card, I’m sure she’s worth the dent this will make in your bank balance.” 

“Oh, she’s worth it,” Phil said. “I haven’t seen her for a few months and I can’t wait to give her a giant cuddle.”

“I mean look at the size of your arms Phil, that’s literally going to be a giant cuddle.” Dan laughed gently. “It must be hard though, not seeing each other, no wonder you want to treat her."

“Yeah, I miss her a lot since she moved away. That’s why I can’t wait to get on a plane and visit her.”

Dan finished ringing through the perfume and held out the card machine for Phil to enter his PIN number.

“I don’t think I could do it, long distance relationships I mean.”

Phil looked up at him with a confused look on his face, “What do you mean?”

“You and your girlfriend, if she’s moved away and you haven’t seen her,” Dan said as he put the receipt in the bag with the gift and holding it out for Phil. 

Phil giggled and took the bag. “She’s not my girlfriend, why on earth do you think that?”

“Fiancée then, whatever you want to call it!”

“She’s my mum, Dan."

“Oh.” 

“Oh indeed." Phil started to laugh. “I was going to ask if you wanted to get a drink after work, but I obviously didn’t give off the right vibe if you think I’m straight!” 

Dan just stared at Phil. 

And stared.

And blinked. 

And replied.

“Ok, I finish in an hour”

Phil smiled and replied “I’ll be back then” 

Dan just watched as Phil turned away then laughed to himself at the pin on the front of Phils backpack.

There for all the world to see, if only Dan had looked closer a bit earlier.

A little rainbow flag.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading, find me on twitter at RachelxAnnex


End file.
